Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pity'

English Word: pity

Key Russian Translations:

• жалость [ʐɐˈlostʲ] - [Informal, Emotional context, often used in everyday speech]
• сожаление [səʐɐˈlʲenʲje] - [Formal, Intellectual or reflective context]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature, conversations, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic emotions like love or anger).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of noun inflections and emotional nuances. For 'жалость', it's B1; for 'сожаление', it's B2 due to more formal usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

жалость: [ʐɐˈlostʲ] (The 'ж' is a voiced palatal fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'; stress on the second syllable.)

Note on жалость: Be careful with the soft 'тʲ' sound, which is palatalized; common mistake for English speakers is to pronounce it as a hard 't'.

сожаление: [səʐɐˈlʲenʲje] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'ж' sound is similar to in 'жалость'.)

Note on сожаление: This word often has a more elongated vowel in the stressed syllable in formal speech; variations may occur in dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Feeling of compassion or sympathy towards someone's misfortune.

Translation(s) & Context:

• жалость - Used in informal, everyday situations to express immediate emotional response, such as in personal stories or casual conversations.
• сожаление - Applied in formal or reflective contexts, like writing, speeches, or when discussing regrets.

Usage Examples:

• Я испытываю жалость к бездомным животным. (I feel pity for homeless animals.)

  This example shows 'жалость' in a simple declarative sentence, highlighting emotional empathy in an informal context.

• Его сожаление о потере работы было искренним. (His pity for the job loss was genuine.)

  Here, 'сожаление' is used in a more formal structure, often with verbs like 'испытывать' to denote deeper reflection.

• В фильме показано, как жалость может изменить жизнь человека. (The film shows how pity can change a person's life.)

  This demonstrates 'жалость' in a narrative context, illustrating its role in storytelling or media.

• Сожаление о прошлом не должно мешать жить настоящим. (Pity for the past shouldn't hinder living in the present.)

  An example of 'сожаление' in philosophical or advisory language, common in literature or self-help discussions.

• Её жалость к другу проявилась в помощи. (Her pity for her friend showed through her help.)

  This shows 'жалость' with action verbs, emphasizing practical applications in interpersonal relationships.

Secondary Meaning: A regrettable situation or something unfortunate (e.g., "What a pity!").

Translation(s) & Context:

• жалость - In exclamatory contexts, to express disappointment informally.
• сожаление - For more formal expressions of regret, such as in professional or written communication.

Usage Examples:

• Какая жалость, что мы опоздали на концерт! (What a pity that we're late for the concert!)

  This idiomatic use of 'жалость' in an exclamation, common in spoken Russian for everyday disappointments.

• Его сожаление по поводу отмены встречи было очевидным. (His pity regarding the meeting cancellation was obvious.)

  Demonstrates 'сожаление' in a formal sentence, often in business or planned events.

• Жалость, но погода испортила наш пикник. (Pity, but the weather ruined our picnic.)

  A casual use of 'жалость' to link to an unfortunate event, showing flexibility in sentence structure.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'жалость' and 'сожаление' are feminine nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard feminine declension patterns. 'Жалость' is an abstract noun and inflects regularly, while 'сожаление' also inflects but may vary slightly in formal contexts.

Note: These nouns do not change in plural forms as they are typically used in singular for abstract concepts, but if needed, 'жалости' can pluralize as 'жалости' in rare cases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • сострадание (more empathetic, often implies action)
  • сочувствие (similar to pity but with a focus on shared feelings; used in supportive contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • жестокость (cruelty, direct opposite in emotional response)
  • равнодушие (indifference, lacks emotional engagement)

Related Phrases:

• Выразить жалость - To express pity (Used when showing sympathy verbally or through actions.)
• Исполненный сожаления взгляд - A look full of pity (Common in descriptions of facial expressions in literature.)
• Жалость к себе - Self-pity (Often carries a negative connotation, implying weakness.)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'жалость' is more visceral and emotional, aligning closely with everyday English 'pity', while 'сожаление' is intellectual and formal, akin to 'regret' or 'sympathy'. Choose 'жалость' for casual conversations and 'сожаление' for written or professional settings. Be mindful of gender agreement in sentences, as both are feminine nouns. For example, avoid using them with masculine adjectives unless in idiomatic expressions.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'жалость' with 'сожаление': English learners often use 'жалость' interchangeably, but 'сожаление' is better for formal regret (e.g., Incorrect: "Я чувствую жалость о твоей потере" → Correct: "Я чувствую сожаление о твоей потере" – because loss implies deeper reflection).
• Misinflecting cases: Forgetting to change to genitive, e.g., Incorrect: "Без жалость" → Correct: "Без жалости" (It requires the genitive case after prepositions like 'без').

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing 'жалость' or 'сожаление' is often tied to collectivism, where pity is seen as a communal emotion in literature like Dostoevsky's works. It can carry a sense of moral obligation, unlike in English where it might be more individualistic, helping to foster empathy in social interactions.

Related Concepts:

• сострадание
• сочувствие
• эмоциональная поддержка